Sunday, August 2, 2015 The Fruit of the Spirit Peace Pastor Charles Mendenhall Hold your bible and declare: Father, I have what this bible says I have, and I am who this bible says I am. I am the healed, I am the prosperous, I am the victor, and I can do what this bible says I can do. I can do anything because Jesus is in me. He enables me, gives me His ability, and I thank you because with God in me the bible says I cannot fail. So by listening to the God that is in me, and following Him I cannot fail. I cannot fail, because I am going over. Amen. The fruit of the spirit is found in: Galatians 5:22- (KJV) 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. These can be contrasted with the 9 gifts of the spirit. The gift are seen as supernatural but the fruit of the spirit is as supernatural or even more than the gifts because the gifts operate as the Spirit wills and gives ability, but the fruit of the spirit is more challenging in this aspect: The Holy Spirit helps us and enables us but we ourselves walk out our salvation with fear and trembling. We are the ones that are bearing the fruit. God is already all of those things, Jesus is all of those things, and so is the Holy Spirit. But we are a work in progress, and the fruit of the spirit goes contrary to our flesh in the way we to act or react. It is supernatural to walk in love when we are being mistreated, and supernatural to have joy in the midst of adversity, but the joy of the Lord is the strength of our life. It s supernatural to have peace in the midst of turmoil instead of being upset and frustrated. John 15:4-5 King James Version (KJV) 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. Abide is to stay. We are the branches that are to bear fruit. The trunk doesn t bear the fruit but the branches that come from the trunk are what is to bear the fruit. Jesus is the trunk, he isn t going to bear the fruit, we are the branch that is in the trunk and the life that is in the trunk or that is in Jesus is going to flow into us enabling us to bear fruit. Jesus is saying that without living and abiding in Him we won t be able to bear fruit. We can t be going in and out of that but to be continually in Him or abiding. The Father is glorified when we bear much fruit. The world knows us not by our gifts but by the fruit or love that we have. If we aren t worried the world can t understand it, if we have peace the world can t understand it. What happens is if we as Christians encounter rough times we tend to makes allowances for whatever it is we are going through so it s ok to not bear fruit and get into our flesh and follow our emotions. That is not a biblical truth but it is an area we are growing in. Hallelujah. In the Old Testament Isaiah spoke of Jesus before he came. Isaiah 9: (KJV) For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Hebrews 13:20 (KJV)
20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Philippians 4:9 (KJV) 9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. 1 Thessalonians 5: (KJV) And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Colossians chapter 2 tells us that God is in us by the operation of the Holy Ghost. So in us is a God of peace. So then if we learn how to yield to Him, abide in Him, we will begin to bear the fruit of peace. What is peace? It is safety, soundness, wholeness. It is happy, friendly, healthy prosperity, quietness, harmonious, at rest and content. When we talk about the supernatural part of peace the function of peace is to prevent the hearts of God s people from being troubled. John 14:1-4 (KJV) 14 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. 4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. John 14:27 King James Version (KJV) 27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. What does troubled mean? Unrest, uneasy, no peace. With a body of water when the term troubled is used it is stirred up, it gets muddy and loses it s clarity. With our hearts, they muddied with the cares of this world, become darkened and have no peace. We are to quit riling ourselves up. In Mark 4 Jesus taught on the just about the most important passages of scriptures because if we don t understand these principle we will not understand the kingdom we have been put into. He also taught that the sower soweth The Word. After he taught the multitudes he taught his disciples privately. Mark 4:35 KJV) 35 And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side. Jesus purpose was to go to the other side. Mark 4:3 (KJV) 3 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships.
Mark 4:3-37 (KJV) 3 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships. 37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. When they started to fulfill God s purpose and will they encountered resistance. The storm was identified as wind. We may have started our own journey to the other side so to speak and have encountered a great storm and we know what the storm is i.e. sickness and disease, financial, unforgiveness, disappointment, bitterness, or anything that isn t focused on Jesus Christ. The storm has come to rob our peace and rile up our heart and make it troubled. Mark 4:38 (KJV) 38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? The disciples got riled up and thought Jesus didn t care. That was the absence of peace. They let circumstances trouble their hearts. Mark 4:39 KJV) 39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. The great storm was the wind. Jesus spoke to the problem not about the problem. When we talk about the problem it s like a balloon and the more we talk about it the bigger it gets. Jesus talked to it as in Mark 11. Mark 11: KJV) For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. We learn from this that when a great storm comes and it looks like we can t take anymore, we still have strength to talk to the storm and not just about it. He muzzled the storm by saying, peace. We are to speak peace to our challenges. We are to speak to what we want to happen. Ephesians :10-13 (KJV) 10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. The devil has a method or a plan to bring us down. It is threefold and involves trickery, deceit, and craftiness. When we start to yield to our flesh as the disciples did in Mark 4 it makes it easy for deception to enter because we quit focusing on the answer. We are to resist him when he comes to trouble our hearts. Resist means to oppose, withstand or defy. Resist the adoption of the plan.
If we adopt the devil s plan and continue to nurse and feed it, it will grow to the point that it consumes us and choke the life out of us. Don t adopt the devil s plan by troubling the waters, the soil of our heart, riling it up till it becomes muddy by worry, frustration and anxiety. Mark 4:3-40 (MSG) The Wind Ran Out of Breath 35-38 Late that day he said to them, Let s go across to the other side. They took him in the boat as he was. Other boats came along. A huge storm came up. Waves poured into the boat, threatening to sink it. And Jesus was in the stern, head on a pillow, sleeping! They roused him, saying, Teacher, is it nothing to you that we re going down? 39-40 Awake now, he told the wind to pipe down and said to the sea, Quiet! Settle down! The wind ran out of breath; the sea became smooth as glass. Jesus reprimanded the disciples: Why are you such cowards? Don t you have any faith at all? The presence of peace is what will keep trouble out of the heart of the believer. Without peace the heart will be troubled. Peace is that thing that will keep anxiety and worry and trouble at bay. John 14:27-28 (AMP) 27 Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. [Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled.] 28 You heard Me tell you, I am going away and I am coming [back] to you. If you [really] loved Me, you would have been glad, because I am going to the Father; for the Father is greater and mightier than I am. Back in Mark 4 when they started over to the other side they were in the boat with Jesus when trouble came. Positional we are with Jesus today. Just because Jesus is in us doesn t mean we won t encounter difficulty. Let s learn from the disciples and speak to the storm, peace. We are the caretakers of our hearts. John 1:33 (AMP) 33 I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.] We may have perfect peace and confidence in the world but when we quit abiding in Jesus it doesn t mean we aren t a Christian or we have lost our salvation, but when we quit abiding in Him we will have trials, distress, and frustration. Jesus wants us to have perfect peace regardless of what is going on in the world around us. We must lose our peace. Amen. Colossians 3:15 (AMP) 15 And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds, in that peaceful state] to which as [members of Christ s] one body you were also called [to live]. And be thankful (appreciative), [giving praise to God always]. Philippians 4: (AMP) Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition ( [a] definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God.
Philippians 4: (KJV) Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. Philippians 4:7 (AMP) 7 And God s peace [shall be yours, that [a] tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall [b] garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Garrison means to circle all around. Why worry when you can trust? Why be troubled when you can trust and have peace? It passes understanding. Philippians 4:7 (KJV) 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. We have to get out of the flesh and out of our mind the great storm and speak to it. The presence of peace is what will keep trouble out of the heart of a believer. The function of peace is to prevent the hearts of god s people from being troubled. God I receive your peace today. Father, right now, I receive your peace in Jesus name. It passes my understanding, I don t even comprehend why I have your peace, but I have peace in the midst of the storm. Peace mounts up and guards my mind and heart. I am just going to settle down and have a great time in the midst of the storm. I have God s peace. Amen I am going to stop letting my heart to be troubled. Right now I am stopping it in Jesus name.